


Teach from the Heart

by megyal



Category: Naruto
Genre: Community: kakairu_fest, Gen, M/M, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-24 23:45:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megyal/pseuds/megyal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iruka teaches Kakashi a little bit more than the programme he needs to learn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teach from the Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Kakairu Fest Summer Round 2013: Team Bingo](http://kakairu-fest.livejournal.com/105715.html). I wrote for Team AU. I didn't want to go with the traditional teacher/student set-up, so I tried something different. My beta was [M](http://waltzingstar.livejournal.com/), and any mistakes are a result of me messing around with it afterwards! Please note that the only thing I know about computers is using the internet so forgive any mistakes.

Iruka straightened his tie, checking if the knot was straight. His blue blazer was very nice; he bought it a few days ago, and Kurenai had bullied him into wearing with a lighter blue vest over a plaid shirt, with a grey tie and trousers of a light, almost creamy khaki. He looked miles different from his normal office-wear, which was a pair of well-worn jeans and a t-shirt, his hair pulled into a loose ponytail. The Information Systems Division of this company didn't really stand too much on ceremony; most of Iruka's time was spent in applications development, a bit of network administration and some data management. He didn't get out much out of IS's long, narrow offices...until now.

Iruka had designed and developed a new documentation management application, and it had survived the poking and critique of his colleagues, and more importantly, the narrow gaze of Asuma, his direct supervisor. It was a neat little programme, too. Considering that Hatake-Sarutobi was a massive contracting company with its own engineering and logistics arms, a 'neat little programme' which encrypted and stored sensitive information was kind of a big deal.

Asuma had said, "I presented the app to the Bosses, and they're into it. You made it, so you get to teach them all about it, Iruka. Congratulations."

"I'm not sure that I feel lucky enough to be congratulated," Iruka said with a light laugh, trying to cover the rush of nerves which had appeared at the mention of the Bosses. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Sakumo Hatake had started this company after serving in the armed forces, using their combined connections and brilliance to develop defensive and offensive personal gear, and non-fatal weaponry. Sakumo's son, Kakashi, was an engineering genius, starting out his tech designs from a very young age. He was also reputed to be a massive asshole, and Iruka had so far managed to keep out of his way. Asuma liked to send Itachi Uchiha over to the Engineering Division whenever there was an IS request from that side. Asuma claimed that Itachi was the only one who could withstand Kakashi's snide remarks. Iruka thought it was because Itachi was the master of the blank stare, and wielded it without remorse. Besides, Itachi was a genius in his own right; he could face off with Kakashi any time.

Now, however, Iruka had to face _all_ of the Bosses at once: Hiruzen, Sakumo and Kakashi. Hiruzen wasn't so bad; Iruka was pretty sure that he'd gotten this job on the virtue of his parents' long acquaintance with the old man. Now and again, he liked to call up Iruka to his office for software installations and a leisurely chat. Sakumo was okay too, although he hardly smiled and rarely interacted with most of the employees. Iruka had never met Kakashi, and so he was going in this top-level meeting armed with just the opinions of Asuma and Itachi.

"He thinks he's the top shit," Asuma had said. "Don't be afraid to stand your ground, he can smell weakness."

"Who?" Itachi had responded to Iruka's carefully worded questions. "Oh. Him. He's all right, if you like barbed comments with your morning coffee."

That...didn't help at all. Iruka swallowed down his nerves, glanced in the polished surface of the wall. He was seated in the wide corridor that led to to the smaller conference room. The Bosses were in there, closing up a quick meeting. He went through the information on his tablet yet again, talking quietly to himself as he went over his notes. The door to the conference room was pushed open and Iruka looked up, watching as the large group hurried past him on the way to the exit. Most of them seemed fairly harried, their brows furrowed as they exchanged notes or checked their phones. The last person out stopped in the middle of the doorway, leaning back a little

"Who--?" she asked, obviously conversing with whoever remained in the room. "Oh, all right." She turned around again and stared right at Iruka. "Are you Umino?" At his nod, she twitched her eyebrows and tilted her head in the direction of the room. "You're up."

"Thanks," Iruka answered. He got to his feet, taking both his tablet and his courage in both hands. She stepped aside to let him pass, giving him a very encouraging smile.

This conference room was fairly small; the twenty chairs strewn around the oval-shaped table made it seemed cramped. The tall windows on one end of the room helped a little. Hiruzen sat at that side, and his lined face brightened when Iruka's gaze met his.

"There you are!" He pointed to a chair to his right, still beaming. "Have a seat, Iruka. Let's get this started."

"Hello, Mr. Sarutobi." Iruka wound his way as quickly as possible through the haphazard maze of chairs. To Hiruzen's left sat a tall thin man with pale hair and a grave expression. "Hello, Mr. Hatake."

"Hello." Sakumo's response was crisp. "Kakashi will not be in this session today. An emergency popped up in his section of the labs."

Iruka nodded, and hoped that the relief didn't show on his face. "I think I can teach him via email. I'll set it up."

"You do that," Sakumo said, a tinge of dryness in his voice. He didn't sound rude, just curt; at least, it wasn't something that would offend Iruka, but he could understand why other employees found it off-putting. Still, he couldn't see himself having a casual conversation with Sakumo.

"Okay, so let's start." Iruka stared at Hiruzen, who was holding his tablet very close to his face and peering at it as if it was telling him a secret. "Mr. Sarutobi, maybe you should hold your tablet the right side up?"

Sakumo actually let out an amused huff. With a sheepish grin, Hiruzen turned the tablet over, but from the glint in his eye, Iruka suspected he knew exactly how to operate the powerful machine.

Hiruzen dropped a little wink. Grinning, relaxed, Iruka began the session.

\---

"How was it?" Asuma asked as soon as Iruka walked in through the door. Itachi didn't look up, but chose to exude waves of nonchalance. The two other personnel peeped over the space dividers, their expressions expectant.

"It was good! They picked it up real fast, too."

Once he'd explained to them the sequence, his two students had quickly stored a few digital documents on the secure server. Sakumo in particular had been impressed, which came as a surprise to Iruka; he had thought that most things didn't impress Sakumo.

"Was Kakashi his adorably caustic self?" Itachi asked, not shifting his gaze from the closest of his two massive screens. 

"He wasn't there," Iruka answered as he sat at his own desk, grinning smugly when Itachi actually stopped what he was doing and turned his impassive face towards Iruka.

"How are you _so lucky_?" Itachi wondered out loud. "You've sold your soul or something."

Iruka laughed out loud at that.

"Okay boys and girls, back to work." Asuma flipped through the small stack of papers on his desk. "So, Iruka: you're off regular development while you teach the rest of the company how to use your app. Two weeks good for you? The sessions spread out, and all."

"Definitely." Iruka switched on his computer and brought up the calendar. "I'll work out a schedule for the divisions and send to you."

"Sounds good." Asuma made some notations on one paper, scowled at it and went over to another.

"And I'll have to email Kakashi." The name felt weird on his lips.

Asuma grunted at him, still working through his lists. Everyone else returned to their work, and Iruka sat there for a long moment before writing a quick email.

As with all his missives, he agonized over it for at least fifteen minutes. Was the _Hello Mr. Hatake_ too friendly? Maybe he should stick with _Mr. Hatake_. He removed the salutation, and accepted that the body of the email was as clear as he could make it:

>   
> _**To:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**From:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject:** New document management application (tutorial session)_
> 
> _Mr. Hatake,_
> 
> _I'd like to set up a session to teach you the new document management application. It shouldn't take more than forty-five minutes. I can set up a shared session between our computers, if that's acceptable to you._
> 
> _Regards,_   
> _Iruka Umino_   
> _IS Division_   
> 

Good; that was good. He started organizing the list of divisions and dates, ignoring most of the chimes of his emails. He glanced up and felt a flutter in his stomach when he saw a reply from Kakashi Hatake.

>   
> _**To:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com _   
> _**From:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject: RE:** New document management application (tutorial session)_
> 
> _Umino,_
> 
> _It's just Kakashi. When I saw it, I wondered if you had sent me an email intended for my father, by mistake. The best day I have available for this tutorial thing is on Thursday. Looking forward to it. What I've seen so far is pretty good. I'll be the best student in the class._
> 
> _-KH_   
> 

Iruka blinked a little at the screen. The tone wasn't what he had expected at all. Without contemplating too much, he typed his reply.

>   
> _**To:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**From:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject: RE: RE:** New document management application (tutorial session)_
> 
> _Okay, Just Kakashi. Thursday is fine. Is 3 good for you? You just have to make sure to be in your office around that time of day. You'll share your desktop with me, we can be on the phone at the same time._
> 
> _And I'd like if you call me Iruka. 'Umino' sounds like I'm in trouble back in fifth grade all over again._
> 
> _Regards,_   
> _Iruka Umino_   
> 

Now that was _really_ far too forward, but Iruka had already hit the SEND button. He could call it back, of course, that was easy, but for some reason, he didn't.

Kakashi's answer was very quick. Iruka had been staring at the screen for a couple of minutes, carefully not thinking about why he felt so expectant over an email.

>   
> _**To:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com _   
> _**From:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject: RE: RE: RE:** New document management application (tutorial session)_
> 
> _Hilarious. You're wasting your time as a programmer, you should try your hand at comedy. I'll have my secretary block out that time for me. He'll make sure I'm around at that point._
> 
> _Til then,_   
> _Just Kakashi_   
> 

\---  
\---  
\---

>   
> _**To:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com _   
> _**From:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject:** you can has too many cats_
> 
> _Fifth Grade, remind me of the encryption sequence for the DMA. I keep forgetting that one part. I can design a triggering system in my sleep, but I can't remember this. Deeply ashamed; I will have to give up my firstborn status and go live in a cave as penance. Also, stop sending me cat macros. I have to keep up my image of a hardass over here in Engineering. I can't be seen giggling at my computer, okay? Thanks._
> 
> _Just Kakashi._   
> 

\---

>   
> _**To:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**From:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject:** you can NEVER has too many cats_   
> _[ATTACHMENT: kakashireminder.exe]_
> 
> _Dear Just Kakashi,_
> 
> _I've made up an interactive flowchart just for you. Just click on it. It will load on your system like the beautiful evidence of my genius that it is._
> 
> _I'm kidding. I read a paper you wrote when you were sixteen. It was incredible, and I had to consult a dictionary for every other word. You probably hear this a lot, but what you have in your braincase is staggering._
> 
> _I'll have to find an insult now to bring your ego back to normal. WAIT, you don't have a normal ego, so that's a waste of time. Anyway, cats are awesome. I had one cat when I was a kid, she was was a real princess. Cats are always awesome._
> 
> _I remember you had told me you had dogs. How many, two? Three?_
> 
> _Oh here, have a cat macro._
> 
> _You're welcome._
> 
> _-Fifth Grade._
> 
> _PS I think I'm going to post that flowchart for general use. You're an inspiration. You can take that thought with you to your cave._   
> 

\---

>   
> _**To:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com _   
> _**From:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject:** hey_
> 
> _Sorry I haven't replied in a while. That flowchart was a Thing of Beauty. A testament to your genius._
> 
> _Don't read that paper, I was sixteen and full of myself. Well, I still am, but at least I've got experience to back it up. Lots of experience, most of it yelling with my dad._
> 
> _You don't need to know about that._
> 
> _I have eight dogs. They're all huge egotistical beings. They take after me, I am so proud._
> 
> _I didn't tell you but I enjoyed talking with you when you were teaching me about the DMA. You have a nice voice. As your superior, I must tell you that I'm just observing that you have a nice voice, and there's nothing else behind it. Right. That's it._
> 
> _Hey, I'm an inspiration, instead of an intense disappointment to my father. I will sleep well tonight._
> 
> _Take care,_   
> _Just Kakashi_
> 
> _PS you're kind of a genius. I thought you were a great teacher, too._   
> 

\---

>   
> _**To:** khatake@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**From:** iumino@hatobi-inc.com_   
> _**Subject:** what _
> 
> _Kakashi it's like 11 in the night are you still at work what are you doing at work. I checked my phone, I thought it was some kind of emergency from asuma but I forgot i put the same ringtone for you as him._
> 
> _You sound sad. you have my number if you want to talk_   
> _fifth grade_   
> 

\---

Iruka let his phone slip from his hand, dozing a little in his bed. The night was cool, but he was dressed in a loose pair of pyjamas. He had had a very large 'class' today, and he was very tired. He hadn't been able to sleep, though; he'd only managed a very light doze.

His phone rang and he flailed for it, trying to find it in the rumpled sheets.

"Hello?" His voice sounded raspy and he grimaced. There was a long pause and Kakashi said, very softly, "Hello, Fifth Grade."

Iruka smiled. When he had been teaching Kakashi to use the document management application, Kakashi hadn't spoken much. He had asked a few questions, and repeated some things Iruka said for clarification, but he was mostly quiet. What Iruka heard of Kakashi's voice, he liked. It was soft and deep; Iruka could hardly believe that this was the man who icily tore down suppliers in meetings, according to Asuma.

"How's my best student?" Iruka sat up and wriggled back so that he was leaning back against the headboard. "You're working late."

Kakashi's sigh was a very low gust in Iruka's ear. "Just a few projects we need to complete."

"That's not what it is, though." Iruka tilted his head to one side as if Kakashi could see him, which was an interesting thought. He'd never met Kakashi in the flesh, and the pictures he'd looked up were group photos of the company. Kakashi and his father always managed to stand in the back, on opposite sides. He had the pale hair, which was probably a Hatake requisite, and a narrow face like his father. For an engineer, he seemed to be averse to most social media platforms and Iruka couldn't find any hint of him on any of them....nor any pictures that would probably be on there.

"No," Kakashi admitted now. "It's not just that."

Silence bled through the line as he fell silent. Iruka settled back into his pillows some more.

"The cat I told you about, her name really _was_ Princess," Iruka said, filling the lull. "She was my dad's cat. She would crawl all over him and get in his way...she was real spoiled." He rambled on; his mother always said that Iruka's greatest talent was keeping up a conversation by himself. Iruka had been in more than one conversation with one or the other of his parents, only to find that they had wandered off. He wasn't offended by it; he'd just keep talking until they came back. They usually did.

"--and then she just knocked over _all_ the jars, Dad was so pissed--"

"I really don't want to work with my father anymore," Kakashi cut in.

Iruka paused, changed gears mentally and said, "Oh. Okay. Then don't."

Kakashi's laugh was tired, but it was long and it sounded honest. "You make it sound easy."

"You really don't like working at the company?" Iruka, genuinely curious, folded his legs and leaned forward a little. Kakashi sighed.

"The company isn't the problem." Kakashi let out a tiny groan, as if he was stretching. "It's between me and my father. It's a long and convoluted story, and I've bored myself thinking about it."

Iruka bit the inside of his lower lip. This was only the second time they'd spoken over the phone, and he wondered how much he could ask without being too familiar. Then again, Kakashi _had_ called him in the middle of the night. "But you do...you like being an engineer, right?"

"Love it," Kakashi answered, without hesitation. "Since I was a kid, I've loved it. I can't imagine doing anything else."

"You could start your own company," Iruka suggested. "I'm sure you'll do great."

Kakashi was silent for a few beats more. "I've thought about it," he said. "It's something I'm seriously considering."

"Stop considering." Iruka kept his tone very firm. "And _do_ it. Do anything."

Kakashi laughed. He had a very rusty-sounding laugh, but it was still rather nice. He laughed for a very long time, and then said, "I love talking to you, you know. You're good for my soul, I think."

Iruka grinned and felt his cheeks warm. "I'm glad that I'm good for your soul."

"Iruka," Kakashi said and said nothing else for a few long moments, as if the sound of the name was enough. Iruka squirmed back down until he was stretched out on his back again, listening to Kakashi's soft breathing.

"Good night, Fifth Grade." Kakashi sounded as if he was smiling.

"Night, Just Kakashi," Iruka said, but it was a long time before either of them decided to hang up.

\---

"What a _mess_. That asshole Kakashi, he's just thrown everything out of whack," Asuma groaned, but he didn't seem too upset; as a matter of fact, he was grinning. Hands on his hips, he stood in the middle of the division and beamed at the whole world.

"It's not really a mess," Itachi murmured, peering at a few tiny components in the middle of his palm. "He's just forming a subsidiary, it's not like it's the end of the world."

Iruka smiled to himself as he took care of the requests that could be handled over the phone or over the network. The news of Kakashi's plans had crashed through the company like a lightning bolt. Iruka had heard that there had been a number of 'conversations' in the board-room between Sakumo and Kakashi, bitter arguments which had had to be moderated by a concerned Hiruzen. 

Iruka thought that the solution was a good one. Kakashi would manage the new subsidiary, and while it was connected the main company, it still had a high level of autonomy. He wondered how Kakashi was feeling at the moment; today was his official last day, according to the congratulatory mass email from HR.

"Oh, speak of the devil." Back at his desk, Asuma squinted at his screen. "Kakashi says he needs someone to check his workstation. Itachi--"

"Hey, let me take this one." Iruka tried to keep his tone as casual as possible. "See if I got what it takes. Um...before he leaves, that is."

Asuma leaned to the side a little, so he could look at Iruka without the obstruction of his screen. For a long moment, he stared at Iruka with the same sort of curious intensity as Hiruzen. Then his expression softened with good humour and he shrugged. Iruka knew that Itachi was staring at him as well, from the way the side of his face seemed to be on fire. 

"Go ahead." With a few clicks of his mouse, Asuma acknowledged the request and assigned Iruka to the task. Iruka read it after it appeared on his own screen, nodding along. Kakashi simply wanted someone to check his computer, wipe it of any delicate or personal information, and load on the security profile of the individual who was taking over his position. It could all be done from his desk, but Iruka told Asuma that he'd be heading over to Engineering.

Asuma waved a large hand at him. "Whatever."

Engineering Division was located on a separate compound from the main office, a casual drive of about fifteen minutes. It wasn't unusual for most employees to have never visited that location, unless they had to, like Itachi. It also wasn't odd for the denizens of the Engineering to be isolated from the rest of the company, insular in their location and their work. They attended company functions, but they tended to stay in a cluster of familiarity, drinking and eyeing everyone else with circumspection. As far as Iruka knew, Kakashi hardly showed up at the company mixers; the only head of messy white hair would belong to Sakumo.

Iruka identified himself at the tall, solid gate of Engineering. The guard there took his identification card and scanned it, checking if he was authorised to visit. At the positive beeps of the machine, the guard handed over his card and said, "You're clear, Mr. Umino. Welcome to Engineering."

"Thanks." Iruka offered him a wide grin and waited until the gates trundled back on their tracks to give him access. He found a parking space easily in the parking lot, and got out to head for the long, low building. It had a flat roof, and the walls were painted a pale brown. Another guard inside the cool lobby gave him directions to Kakashi's office, which was in a particular lab itself.

Iruka had expected the lab to be a sterile environment, all white surfaces and gleaming steel machinery. Instead, the massive, L-shaped space had work areas dotted along the walls. Each of these had a long table, and atop nearly all of them were collections of wire or pieces of metal, and laptops with confusing schematics displayed. There were a few persons about, about five or six. Most of them were staring at their computer screens. He hadn't met personally with this division to teach them. Kakashi had offered to do that himself. 

One of the engineers was playing a game; Iruka approached this one and asked for Kakashi's office.

"Back there," the gamer answered, gaze still fixed on her screen. She shrugged one shoulder toward the crook of the L. "Just knock, he's inside."

"Thanks." Iruka felt something in his stomach flutter as he stepped past the workstation. The door to Kakashi's office was set right next to the corner; he knocked as indicated.

"Come in."

The office was long and narrow. Iruka stared at Kakashi's back; the other man stood near the windows at one short end, flipping through a folder. He kept his hair shorter than his father, but he was just as tall and slim.

"Hello, sir." Iruka pitched his voice a little higher and softer than usual. Why, he didn't know, he just did it. "I'm here to re-configure your computer?"

"Oh." Kakashi shifted slightly, so that Iruka could see the side of his face, but he didn't turn around completely. "Asuma didn't send Itachi to torment me on my last day? That's so nice of him."

Iruka didn't answer and Kakashi said, "Go right ahead. It's over there, I'm already logged in."

It didn't take too long to finish. Kakashi was handing over to someone named Shizune, his second-in-command here at the labs. Iruka hadn't seen her out there, she was probably with a client or a supplier. Iruka checked his work, logged the task as complete.

"I'm finished, Mr. Hatake," he said as he got to his feet. Kakashi nodded.

"It's not _Mr._ Hatake," he said, his tone absent. "It's--"

"It's Just Kakashi." Iruka smiled as Kakashi spun around, a few of the papers in the folder flapping out and floating to the ground. "I know. Best student I ever had."

Kakashi stared at him, his eyes wide and dark. The resemblance to his father was indeed very strong, but the sharp heaviness in each of Sakumo's features was smoothed out in Kakashi. The overall effect was very attractive, at least to Iruka.

A slow, small smile touched at Kakashi's thin lips. "Hello, Fifth Grade." He put down the folder and walked over, stopping when he was right in front of Iruka. He reached out with one hand and stopped, then reached out and threaded his fingers with Iruka's. "Best teacher I ever had." 

_fin_


End file.
